We know shopping for just the perfect gift can be difficult so we have complied some great gift ideas for Parents & Kids inspired by some of our advertisers! Gifts don’t always have to be the newest toy or video game. Give the gift of activity and family bonding with some of our ideas!

Tiger Rock Martial Arts Membership: Give the gift of self-defense and competition! Fun and safe martial arts classes that encourage self-confidence and and self-assurance. With programs ranging in ages 4 to 15 years old this is the perfect gift your kids can enjoy longer than the holiday season!

Salute Gymnastics Classes: Give the gift of an active lifestyle that can serve your kids for years! Pre-school gymnastics, recreational gymnastics, or recreational tumbling, there is something for everyone’s kids at Salute.

Pensacola Ice Flyers Tickets: Give the gift of cheering on everyone’s favorite hockey team! Season Passes, a pass to the Pensacola Ice Flyer’s Kids Club, or ticket to a single themed game. All kids love yelling and shouting for a sports team.

Sam’s Fun City Tickets: Give the gift of tickets to Pensacola’s Only Amusement and Waterpark! Surf City opens in the Spring and the Fun City is open year round!

Membership to Pensacola Children’s Museum: Give the gift of learning, but the super fun kind! The Pensacola Children’s Museum is the home of Brick Makerspace which is a STEAM creative play gallery for all ages. Bring your family to imagine, build, and display your creative works. The Pensacola Children’s Museum is proud to be a recipient of Strickly Briks’ Makerspace Award.

If you know of an event we should add to the list, please leave us a comment! Have a fun week exploring Pensacola with your family! More events will be added as they are found, created or updated. As always, I recommend that you follow the links for more information and call ahead to confirm. Event information often changes.

If you know of an event we should add to the list, please leave us a comment! Have a fun week exploring Pensacola with your family! More events will be added as they are found, created or updated. As always, I recommend that you follow the links for more information and call ahead to confirm. Event information often changes.

If you know of an event we should add to the list, please leave us a comment! Have a fun week exploring Pensacola with your family! More events will be added as they are found, created or updated. As always, I recommend that you follow the links for more information and call ahead to confirm. Event information often changes.

If you know of an event we should add to the list, please leave us a comment! Have a fun week exploring Pensacola with your family! More events will be added as they are found, created or updated. As always, I recommend that you follow the links for more information and call ahead to confirm. Event information often changes.

If you know of an event we should add to the list, please leave us a comment! Have a fun week exploring Pensacola with your family! More events will be added as they are found, created or updated. As always, I recommend that you follow the links for more information and call ahead to confirm. Event information often changes.

If you know of an event we should add to the list, please leave us a comment! Have a fun week exploring Pensacola with your family! More events will be added as they are found, created or updated. As always, I recommend that you follow the links for more information and call ahead to confirm. Event information often changes.

Callaway Gardens is located about twenty minutes off of I-85 in Pine Mountain, Georgia so odds are that if you have driven to Atlanta from Pensacola, you have driven past signs telling you that Callaway Gardens is nearby. It is just a short four hours north of Pensacola so it makes for a wonderful weekend getaway.

Did you know that Callaway Gardens is more than just a garden? I didn’t until our recent visit. I was expecting gardens much like Bellingrath in Theodore, Alabama or Alfred B. Maclay Gardens in Tallahassee where you wander through gardens, go for a walk, maybe ride a boat or see the home. Boy, was I wrong! When we started planning our trip, I was amazed at all of the different things that you can do at Callaway Gardens.

Stay on the grounds. Little cottages, villas, rooms at the inn or the gorgeous lodge are a few of the lodging options available on the grounds of Callaway Gardens. We stayed in a two bedroom unit in the Southern Pines Cottages. These cute little cottages are hidden around the trees. You are close to neighboring cottages but not close enough that it was too loud. They are perfect for families, both large and small. The two bedroom cottages have a small kitchen, dining area and living area as well as two bedrooms and two bathrooms. There are decks off of both the living room and bedrooms where you watch the lightning bugs and stars light up the night. Nearby is a pool, a Laundromat and a pizza parlor.

Go for a hike or ride a bike. The expansive property of Callaway Gardens is full of places to hike or go for a bike ride. A great way to get around Callaway Gardens is by bike but be prepared because it is very hilly and attractions are not as close to each other as they appear to be! There are many different trails with varying levels of difficulty and length. Our favorite walk was the walk from the Discovery Center to the Butterfly Center. We were able to wander through the woods, walk over bridges, and spy turtles sunbathing in the water.

Spend time on a lake. There are lots of ways to become one with nature at Callaway Gardens but my kids will tell you that their swimming time was their favorite activity. There is swimming, kayaking, boating, water skiing, tubing, and so much more to keep you occupied and out in the sun all day long!

Zip line through the trees. One of the newest additions at Callaway Gardens is the Treetop Adventure. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to try it out due partly to the fact that my children are too short and that the time slots filled up so quickly that they weren’t taking anymore signups for the day. We did, however, spend some time watching other visitors shimmy from tree to tree over rickety bridges and zip across the path into the woods. We were very impressed by the Treetop Adventure staff. As one little girl slowly began to panic, we watched a staff member quickly calm her down, hook her up to a rope, and slowly lower her to the ground all the while telling her what he was doing and how it worked. She was able to calm down enough to get to terra firma without completely freaking out! It was nice to know that if you had any issues with the heights of the aeriel challenges that there was a plan in place to get you down!

Find your inner peace in the Butterfly House. One of my favorite activities was visiting the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center. We loved to watch the butterflies float through the air and land gracefully on the trees and flowers throughout the center.

Get your exercise on Aqua Island. Aqua Island is an inflatable island at Robin Lake Beach. You can visit the island for an hour at a time where you can climb, slip, slide and jump around and into the water. Children under seven (if I am remembering correctly) must be accompanied by an adult and all visitors must wear a lifejacket, which are provided for you. About halfway through our hour on aqua island we were beginning to think we should have signed up for two hours…until we finally finished our hour. We were all exhausted after running around the different obstacles, jumping into the water and getting back out again.

Watch birds and students soar through the sky! When you are ready to stop moving and rest for awhile, check out the Birds of Prey show. Held inside to keep you out of the heat during the day and outside in the evening, these birds swoop and fly while you learn about the mighty raptors. You can also watch students fly through the air. Yes, students! The Florida State University Flying High Circus performs through August 12th every summer. Unfortunately, they are almost done with their summer session but they do put on occasional public shows at FSU. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was thoroughly impressed. The kids couldn’t take their eyes off of the acrobatics happening above their heads. If you visit in the summertime, be sure to catch the show.

Eat some Southern soul food. There are many restaurant choices on the grounds of Callaway Gardens and for the most part they are reasonably priced. We had dinner at the pizza parlor in the Southern Pine Cottage area the first night. The pizza was tasty but I do recommend calling ahead. We waited almost exactly an hour for our pizza due to the crowds. The group next to us had called their order in earlier so they got their pizza only just a few minutes after they grabbed a table. But nothing topped our delicious meal at the Country Kitchen. Located just a few minutes outside of the entrance, the Country Kitchen serves up yummy southern dishes. We ate perfectly fried chicken, baked apples and seasoned French fries until we couldn’t stomach it anymore.

Practice your swing. If you prefer to pick up a tennis racket or a golf club, there is ample opportunity at the tennis courts or the golf course. The golf course offers different packages and offers an academy as well.

Visit the vegetable garden. When we arrived at the gardens on a Friday evening, the sun was still out but some of the activities had closed up already. We weren’t ready to check out the lake so we took a drive around. I saw the sign for the vegetable garden so we decided to take a look. This is no backyard veggie garden! This vegetable garden is huge! Rows and rows of corn, watermelon, grapes, and so much more are spread throughout the garden. We saw how okra looks before it is fried up (really…I had no idea what it looked like because I am not a huge fan!) and we saw beautiful sunflowers blooming. On Friday nights, you can visit the Farmer’s Market and purchase veggies that have just been picked right out of the garden! As we were walking around, I almost expected to see Peter Rabbit come bounding through the rows!

Things to Know Before You Go:

When you arrive and get settled in your accommodations, read up on the height, age and weight limits. There were a couple of things that we were unable to do (like laser tag and the treetop adventure) due to the limits.

If you really want to do something, head to Square One located at Robin Lake Beach to sign up early. If you don’t, you might miss out. We went to sign up for the Blaster Boats at 11 in the morning and they were already booked until 7pm that night.

Although biking is a wonderful way to get around the gardens, if you have smaller children this might not be an option. We almost threw the bikes into our car but at the last minute we didn’t bring them. I was glad because when I saw the hills and how far apart some of the stuff was, I knew my kids wouldn’t have made it very far without complaining. We used our car to travel around the gardens.

If available, consider purchasing the Ultimate Summer Fun Pass which includes admission into the Treetop Adventure, Light Striker Laser Tag, Aqua Island, Blaster Boats, Golf on Lake View Golf Course, Bicycling, Boating, Kayaking, Canoeing, and Tennis. If you are planning on participating in several of these activities, you will pay off the pass quickly.

If you are looking to get away before school starts, Callaway Gardens has a great special going on. Rates at the Mountain Creek Inn begin at $99 a night and you can purchase the Ultimate Summer Fun Pass for only $48 a person per night.

Have you been to Callaway Gardens? What was your favorite activity?

*Disclosure: Callaway Gardens hosted our stay and provided us with Ultimate Summer Fun Passes. We paid for our gas, all meals, and additional activities while we were there. As always, my opinions are my own and are not influenced by others (except for maybe my kids!).

A few months ago, I entered a blog contest and won a trip to San Antonio, Texas. The prize included a two night hotel stay and four tickets to six different attractions. San Antonio was about a twelve hour drive so this trip probably would not be fitting for a weekend of course! We left Pensacola on a Friday and returned on the following Tuesday with both Friday and Tuesday being all day travel days. Even though we had to cover all of our food, several extra hotel nights, and attractions that weren’t included in the prize, we had a great time in San Antonio and are glad we went!

Ten Kid-Friendly Activities in San Antonio, Texas

Six Flags Fiesta Texas – With your admission fee, you get entrance into both the theme park and the small water park attached to it. The little ones will love Wiggles World and the Boardwalk. The older children will enjoy the Superman ride and the other very scary roller coasters!

San Antonio Missions National Park – This national park consists of the different missions scattered throughout San Antonio. Before you visit the missions, stop by the Visitor Center and pick up a Junior Ranger Booklet to take with you.

The Witte Museum – We moved quickly through this museum so we didn’t spend much time here. The best part for the kids was the H.E.B. Science treehouse where they had several hands-on activities for kids.

Buckhorn Museum – We only went to this because the tickets were included in our prize package but this is definitely not for the feint of heart. There are animals that are no longer breathing…everywhere…lots of them. The kids did enjoy the Texas Ranger side of the museum.

San Antonio Zoo – This is not the biggest zoo we have ever been to, but it is one of the most kid-friendly zoos we have ever been to. There is lots for the kids to do to keep them active including a petting zoo where you can actually go into the pens and a discovery center with an area to play.

Take a boat ride through the Riverwalk – The Riverwalk tours are about 35 minutes and if your kids like boat rides they might get a kick out of this activity. I wish it had been a little bit shorter because my three year old had her fill about halfway through the trip but we really enjoyed the trip.

Eat dinner at Tomatillos – We loved our Tex Mex meal here so much that we went back the next day for a second meal. On the kid’s menu, they have a plate of refired beans, rice, and tortillas for just $2!!!

Schlitterbahn – You may have seen this waterpark on the Discovery Channel show…this waterpark will keep the whole family busy all day long.

Tallahassee, Florida is only about three hours from Pensacola. If you are really brave you could make a day trip of it but we prefer to stay overnight if possible. To continue the PWK’s Summer Road Trip Celebration, we are thinking about Tallahassee, Florida! We haven’t done all of the activities on this list but we hope to soon! Here are 10 things to do with your kids in Tallahassee.

Alfred B. Maclay Gardens – This state park is a beautiful place for a picnic. The kids will love to wander up and down the paths and see the different flowers.

About PWK

Everything Kids. Everything Pensacola.

Our mission at Pensacola with Kids is to promote family friendly places, activities, and events that take place in and around our great city. We love to share our adventures as we experience Pensacola with our kids.

We hope that this site inspires you to get out there and explore all that Pensacola has to offer.

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Disclaimer: We do our best at Pensacola with Kids to provide accurate, useful information about events and activities. This information (such as times and locations) is gathered from press releases, local newspapers, signs around town and word of mouth. We do our best to confirm details before they are posted here. Sometimes details change or we are given inaccurate information. Whenever possible we link our write-ups to the source in which our information came from and strongly urge you to confirm details before you go. Pensacola with Kids is in no way responsible for any problems that occur while participating in activities recommended on this site.